


We Ain't All Perfect but We're Doing Alright

by GlassFullOfSass



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Aubrey is very anxious and she really needs a hug, Canon Compliant, Duck is a Good Dad and He Loves His Bisexual Irresponsible-with-Fire Daughter Very Much, F/F, I sat down and said ‘i need more wlw and good dad-friends’ and wrote it, TAZ Amnesty, This is Entirely self-indulgence, good good soft characters, people being kind
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-04
Updated: 2020-03-25
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:34:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22981813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GlassFullOfSass/pseuds/GlassFullOfSass
Summary: When she arrives in Kepler, Aubrey is lost and grieving. At Amnesty and in the Pineguard she finds a home and a family.
Relationships: Aubrey Little & Duck Newton, Dani/Aubrey Little
Comments: 8
Kudos: 46





	1. Cryptonomica, post Bom-bom 1

**Author's Note:**

> Theoretically, I’ll post a chapter each Wednesday in March. Nothing groundbreaking, just some self-indulgent softness, because all of us need a good hug. Also, it’s not tagged because it doesn’t come up in the story, but Duck is trans and that’s just how things are.

Okay, so like. Dani’s cute, right? And Aubrey isn’t...you know. Great at, like, flirting or. Just. Talking, really, to Cute People. So the Amnesty Lodge is great, Mamma’s great. Aubrey is really glad that she’s got this place to call home now. But like. Dani. And Talking. It’s...not going all that great.

She’s a stumbling, stuttering mess, alright? She’d meant to ask Dani if she’d like to go on a walk with her and Dr. Harris Bonkers, PhD and she’d opened her mouth and. And. Word salad?

There was something about Dr. Harris Bonkers, PhD and floors and maybe strawberries? Aubrey’s ears caught up with her mouth and she stopped talking. Dani was smiling that you’re-cute-and-I’m-humoring-your-bumbling-but-what-are-you-even-saying kind of smile. Aubrey fled.

So now she’s on the porch of the Cryptonomica, fidgeting a flame between her fingertips. Ned’s not around, and she doesn’t really want to talk to Kirby, the kid who’d told her with a shrug that Ned had left an hour ago, then chugged the rest of his cola. So Aubrey’s just. Sitting. Stewing in her ignominy, and hoping Dr. Harris Bonkers, PhD will forgive her for dumping him in the lap of the lady she’d just word-vomited all over and proceeded to run away from.

It’s fine.

Someone walks up to the porch, gravel crunching under their feet. Aubrey snuffs the spark and looks up. It’s Duck, wearing his ranger jacket and smiling at her politely in a we’ve-been-through-some-shit-together-but-I-don’t-really-know-you way. “Hey Aubrey, how’re you doing?”

“Oh, uh, hi Duck. I’m uh. I’m just. Out. Here. Hanging out. You know, just.” She stops talking and just shrugs instead.

Duck sits down on the edge of the porch next to her, “Is everything okay, Aubrey?”

She just mumbles and hitches her shoulders up a bit. She sparks up her fingertips again.

Duck drums his fingers on the floorboards a couple times. “You uh, okay? Didya come down to see Ned?”

Aubrey shrugs, “Just, wanted to uh… stretch. Get away from the Lodge, you know. Fresh air. Why were you, um, up here?”

“Oh, I was just on my way home. Stopped by to chat with Ned.”

Aubrey kicks her feet out, swinging them in time with her spark passing, “Oh, he’s not here. Kirby said.”

Duck nods, “But you are. Not enough fresh air at the Lodge?”

Her flame flicks out again and she stills her feet. “Do you...I mean. Ugh. Have you ever... really flubbed it? Just. Opened your mouth and goofed?”

Duck huffs out a laugh, “Aubrey, you’ve heard me tryin’ to lie. You know I’m a right mess with my words.”

Aubrey smiles, a that-wasn’t-funny-enough-to-make-me-laugh-but-it-did-cheer-me-up-a-bit kind of smile. “That’s...not what I meant, but yeah. I was, um, I was meaning, like. Talking to... someone. That. That you like.”

Duck’s quiet for a minute. “You know, I’m not really the right guy to ask about that. Not that Ned would be much better, I don’t think.” He gestures behind them, to the Cryptonomica, then pauses and glances over, “But if this is, uh, about Dani… I think she might still talk to you even if you’ve gone and embarrassed yourself in front of her.”

Aubrey huffs and glares up at Duck, “I didn’t say anything about Dani.”

Duck smiles and it’s a wide and genuine you’re-only-mad-at-me-cause-I’m-right-and-you-don’t-want-to-admit-it and a hey-we’re-friends-and-we-can-have-important-conversations-because-I-care-about-you and a I’m-glad-you’re-here-and-that-I-know-you smile all rolled together and Aubrey thinks “huh, I’ve got family here” and that surprises her enough to smile back at Duck. And it’s a real, crinkled-eyed, crooked-front-tooth, I-love-you smile.

Because, yeah, Aubrey’s been wandering and hopping from town to town and there’s a part of her that’s still grieving that hole in her heart from her mother’s death and she never really thought she’d find a place to settle down. But Kepler’s feeling more and more like _Home_ every day. And Duck’s terrible at lying and wicked athletic; he’s got a host of confidence issues Aubrey can’t begin to unravel, and he gives the best damn hugs she’s had in years. 

So when Duck squeezes her tight and says “You’ll figure it out” in that I’m-not-a-dad-but-I’d-be-a-good-one voice that Aubrey’s pretty sure he doesn’t even know about, she believes him.


	2. Amnesty Lodge, pre water bombom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aubrey can totally ask Dani out. It's just going to take a lot of liquid courage (tea, she means tea).

It takes some practice (and a lot of tea and rolled-eyes courtesy of Barclay) but Aubrey works up the nerve to ask out Dani coherently. And it...goes pretty well? 

Aubrey finds Dani out on the porch. It’s a mild morning and Aubrey lets Dr. Harris Bonkers, PhD down to investigate the rocking chairs. “Hey Dani, how are you?”

“Hi Aubrey, I’m doing well. How are you this morning?” Dani smiles up at her and it’s like rainbows and unicorns and Sylvainian talking kittens. 

Aubrey smiles back, “I...I’m good. I’m great! I uh- Can I um… Would yougooutwithme?” Aubrey feels her cheeks burning, but she’s said it. Maybe a bit fast, but she said it!

Dani’s smile only gets warmer, and if Aubrey didn’t have butterflies before, she certainly does now, “I’d love to, Aubrey. Sit with me? The sunrise will be pretty like this for a bit longer.”

It is pretty. It’s gorgeous: oranges and pinks brush together up above the treeline. Aubrey settles into a rocking chair next to Dani, dropping her fingers down to tickle Dr. Harris Bonkers, PhD. She lets out a shaky breath, then inhales the good things: the pine air, the early quiet, the gentle snuffling of the rabbit at her feet. And Dani, sitting beside her, humming quietly.


	3. Duck’s Apartment, pre-bad luck bombom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feat. Campanula divaricata, the cat named for the plant native to West Virginia and commonly known as the Appalachian Bellflower. Because Duck would fucking do that. Fight me.

Aubrey’s crashed out on the couch, Campanula and the rabbit curled up in a tangle on top of her. Duck’s honestly not real sure how all this came about, but he’s not going to disturb them, so he just flicks off the living room lights and tries to putter around the kitchen quietly while prepping lunch for his next shift.

There’s coffee dripping into the pot when Duck hears Aubrey stirring, followed by a soft thump. Campanula brushes up around his ankles a moment later with a soft “mrrp?” He reaches down to scratch her ears, “You hungry, Div?” He feeds her to happy churps and mews.

Aubrey enters the kitchen, stretching and rubbing her eyes, “Hey Duck, I didn’t mean to fall asleep here. You heading to work? No, Dr. Harris Bonkers, PhD, that’s cat food. That’s not good for you.” This last is directed, indeed, at the large rabbit who had followed her into the kitchen and was twitching his whiskers around Campanula’s bowl.

Duck reaches down and picks up the bowl and Campanula, shifting them both onto a chair, out of the rabbit’s reach. “Yeah, I’m on shift the next couple nights. Heading out in a bit. Did you need something? I don’t mind you using the couch none, but we didn’t really talk before you fell asleep.”

A flush rises in Aubrey’s cheeks, “Yeah, sorry about that. No, I uh, just wanted to um-talk? Just, you know. Check in? As, like, friends? Because-”

He takes mercy on her stumbling rambles, smiling, “Yeah, Aubrey, we can talk. I’m always here when you need someone.”

He’s not quite prepared for arms she flings around him, “You’re such a good person Duck and I’m just really grateful you’re in the Pineguard.” She’s shaking just a little, and Duck is really taken aback. Aubrey’s obviously got her own past and she’s not unknown for spontaneous hugs, but she seems almost fragile, and Duck’s not prepared for that.

He hugs her back instinctively, “Hey, it’s alright. You’re a good friend too, Aubrey. I’m glad to know you.” She hiccups a bit, and Duck is certain now that she’s trying not to cry, “Hey, hey, what’s wrong? It’s gonna be okay, we’re a tough bunch. What are you worried about? What’s going on?”

“I just- I just, I’m so afraid someone’s going to get hurt and not get better. I’m gonna...I’m gonna hurt someone when I’m trying to help them. I’m not good enough, Duck, I can’t handle this fire the way I should if I’m going to fight with it. And I...I’m happy, y’know, with Dani, and it’s so nice and sweet and she’s so funny and brilliant and I’m going to mess it up and hurt her and it’s-it’s-it’s so scary Duck, I’m so scared for all of you. I’m so scared I’m going to hurt everyone. And I can’t, I don’t know. I don’t know what t-t-to do.”

Duck feels her fear like a punch in the gut, one from that animal abomination with real force behind it, “Oh, Aubrey.” He thinks of all the times he’s held Jane close like this, all the nights post-Minerva, post-fire, post-normal childhood, when they’d been alone. Young, afraid, and with only each other to hold onto. He hugs Aubrey tighter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I spent more time researching the name for Duck’s cat than I did writing this entire work. I wanted to name her Catalpa speciosa, after a flowering tree that can be found in WV, but I decided Duck would rather go with a plant that’s actually native, and he would like the fact that the common name reflects the region. Also, depending on Duck’s mood and just how ornery Campanula is being, Duck calls her all manner of things, not limited to her full name, “Chia,” “Camp,” “Diva,” and “Bell.” He found her screaming at some birds in the forest and fell in love.


	4. Wolf Ember Grill & Lodge, pre-shape shifter bombom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's date night, and it's A Lot.

Dani’s the cutest. She’s just so, SO, cute. And Aubrey can’t even. Like, what is she supposed to do with this adorable person who’s got the most darling bobbed-hair and kindest eyes and is here with her. Like, what is this?

“Are you going to order anything?” Dani asks her, and Aubrey starts, realizing she’s been staring.

She blushes, and looks down at the menu. Duck had gone on about their soup. Was it the stew? No, the French Onion. Aubrey looks up, and the waiter must have Experience, because xe shows up just then, notepad in hand.

Dani orders a pasta dish, and Aubrey manages to string together a coherent sentence about the soup. Then they’re alone again. Aubrey meets Dani’s eyes and the other woman is smiling so gently Aubrey wants to squeal. How is this real?

Clearly there is a Being of Mercy and Kindness in this world, because Dani starts talking, saving Aubrey from having to come up with a conversation topic, “So what do you think about Kepler, now that you’ve been here for a few months?”

“It’s...good, you know? I mean, I spend most of my time at the Lodge or with Duck and Ned, when I’m not with you, but the other residents are nice too.” Aubrey thinks for a minute, “I met that Hollis, from the Hornets? at the little cafe on Market. They were actually really nice, on their own. I think they really regret whatever that whole mess with Jake and the club is.”

Dani hums, “Yeah, it’s too bad Jake couldn’t make it work to stay friends with the Hornets. They just got so bold, you know? And Jake was scared to stay in and possibly get into trouble, get noticed, you know? He couldn’t explain the real reason he was leaving them, and Keith especially took it hard, and it’s made everyone bitter.”

“That’s too bad, he’s really sweet. Jake, that is. He tries so hard to be friends with everyone. I even saw him trying to get Agent Stern to let loose.”

The corners of Dani’s eyes crinkle when she smiles, fond and proud, and Aubrey melts, “Jake’s a good kid. He just loves life and he wants everyone to be okay. It really did hurt him, when Keith got so angry, and then Hollis took Keith’s side. But it sounds like maybe Hollis at least is coming around. I’m really glad to hear that.”

There’s a lull in the conversation, but Aubrey isn’t worried. It’s a good pause. Comfortable. She takes a sip of water.

“What’s your favorite part of Kepler, other than the Lodge?” She asks Dani, who wrinkles her nose at the constraint. Adorable.

“Probably the funicular. I stayed in the Lodge for a long time before I ventured into public.” Dani waves her hand, ring glinting in the light, “Our disguises are really good, but it’s still scary. Being in a place where you know you don’t fit in, certain that someone is going to notice. But the funicular is so full of all different kinds of people. Especially during tourist season. It’s harder to stand out. And it’s a beautiful trip, up and down the mountain.”

The waiter returns with their meal, and they spend the rest of the evening (their date!) talking about Aubrey’s traveling magic show, and Dani’s family, back in Sylvain, and so much more. It’s good. And Aubrey is happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading. I hope everyone is safe and healthy, and that this brought some joy amidst the fear and uncertainty we're facing globally.

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to write More Dani, but IDK. The scenes with her feel right. This work is set to 4 chapters and will likely remain so, but if inspiration strikes I may return.  
> Work title is from Maren Morris’ All My Favorite People


End file.
